Associate Railroad Signal Specialist

Notice of Examination

NOTICE OF EXAMINATION
ASSOCIATE RAILROAD SIGNAL SPECIALIST
Exam No. 7607
WHEN TO APPLY: From: 9/1/2026
To: 9/28/2026
APPLICATION FEE: $96.00
If you choose to pay the application fee
with a credit/debit/gift card, you will be
charged a service fee of 2.95% of the
payment amount. This service fee is
nonrefundable.
TYPE OF TEST:
Education and Experience Exam
Pursuant to Section 61(1) of the New York Civil Service Law, the eligible list resulting from this
examination may also be used to fill vacancies in the title of Associate Railroad Signal Specialist
(Operations). Candidates who accept appointment as an Associate Railroad Signal Specialist or Associate
Railroad Signal Specialist (Operations) will be removed from the eligible list. Candidates who decline
appointment to one of the above titles will not be considered again for appointment to that title but may be
considered for appointment to the other remaining title.
JOB DESCRIPTION:
Associate Railroad Signal Specialists, under general supervision, design railroad signals or inspect
the installation of railroad signal systems and related electrical plant, machinery or apparatus, and
supervise the preparation of plans and specifications for new signal equipment and for signal systems
and equipment being repaired or altered; and perform related work.
Some of the physical activities performed and environmental conditions experienced by Associate
Railroad Signal Specialists are: working on or near tracks having live 600-volt contact rails; walking
along tracks in dimly lit areas; watching and listening for moving trains; climbing and descending ladders;
and differentiating colors of flagging signals, signal aspects and coding used on signal equipment.
Special Working Conditions: Associate Railroad Signal Specialists may be required to work various
shifts, including nights, Saturdays, Sundays and holidays.
(This brief description does not include all of the duties of this position.)
SALARY AND BENEFITS:
The current minimum salary for Associate Railroad Signal Specialist is $90,551 per annum for a 40-hour
work week. This rate is subject to change. The benefits of this position include, but are not limited to,
night and weekend salary differentials, paid holidays, vacation and sick leave, a comprehensive medical
plan and a pension plan.
HOW TO QUALIFY:
As per Section 54 (2) of the New York State Civil Service Law, Education Requirements must be met
by September 28, 2027. Experience Requirements must be met by the last day of the Application
Period:
1. A four year high school diploma or its educational equivalent; and
2. Eight years of full-time satisfactory experience in: railroad power-operated signal engineering
work; or in signal maintenance, circuit designing, manufacturing, or installation supervision. At
least two years of this experience must have included specialized experience in:
A. Designing railroad signals of moderate difficulty; or
B. Supervising and inspecting the installation of railroad signals; or
C. Preparing plans and specifications for railroad signal equipment or systems
Education in Electrical Engineering, Electronics Engineering, Systems Engineering, Electromechanical
Engineering, Communications Engineering, or Electrical Technology above the high school level may be
substituted for the general experience described under "2" above at the rate of 30 semester credits from
an accredited college for one year of experience up to the maximum of four years of experience.
However, all candidates must have at least two years of the specialized experience described in
"2A", "2B", or "2C" above.
If you have qualifying part-time experience, it will be credited on a prorated basis.
READ CAREFULLY AND SAVE FOR FUTURE REFERENCE

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Education and Experience Exam: During the Education and Experience Exam (EEE), you may answer
questions about your experience. If your experience was on a part-time basis working less than 35 hours
per week, you will need to convert your part-time experience to full-time experience using the formula
below. Once you have determined your full-time experience equivalent, use this amount to answer
questions about your experience.
(number of hours worked per week/35) x (number of months worked)
For example, if you worked at a job for 21 hours per week for 12 months, you would make the following
calculation:
21/35 x 12 = 7.2 months.
You have until midnight Eastern time on the last day of the Application Period (9/28/2026) to
clearly specify in detail all of your relevant education and experience and Final Submit your
Education and Experience Exam in the Online Application System (OASys). Once you Final
Submit your Education and Experience Exam in OASys, you will not be permitted to submit new
or additional information on your Education and Experience Exam online.
If you do not Final Submit your Education and Experience Exam in OASys by midnight Eastern
time on the last day of the Application Period (9/28/2026), your examination will be considered
incomplete, you will not receive a score, you will not be invited to subsequent portions of this
examination (if applicable), and your application fee will not be refunded.
The high school must be approved by a State’s Department of Education or a recognized accrediting
organization. The college or university must be accredited by regional, national, professional or
specialized agencies recognized as accrediting bodies by the U.S. Secretary of Education, and by the
Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA).
You are responsible for determining whether you meet the qualification requirements for this examination
prior to applying. If you are marked “Not Qualified,” your application fee will not be refunded, and you
will not receive a score.
Foreign Education Fact Sheet (required only if you need credit for your foreign education for this
examination): If you were educated outside the United States, you must have your foreign education
evaluated to determine its equivalence to education obtained in the United States. The services that are
approved to make this evaluation, as well as instructions on how to submit this evaluation are listed in
the Foreign Education Fact Sheet, which will be attached to this Notice of Examination during the
application period. When you contact the evaluation service, ask for a “document-by-
document” (general) evaluation of your foreign education. Your foreign education evaluation must be
submitted directly to MTA New York City Transit’s Examinations Unit by the service completing the
evaluation. Foreign education evaluations received directly from applicants will not be accepted. You
may also visit http://web.mta.info/nyct/hr/forms_instructions.htm to access the Foreign Education Fact
Sheet on our website.
Note: If you have earned a higher-level degree in the United States that supersedes the level and type
of education required to meet the qualification requirements, you do not need to submit a foreign
education evaluation. However, you must indicate that you have completed the higher-level degree in
the United States; proof of acceptance into an academic program or school is not sufficient to determine
satisfactory equivalency.
SELECTIVE CERTIFICATIONS:
Selective Certification for Education, Special Experience and Licensure: If you have the education,
experience or license listed below, you may be considered for appointment to positions requiring this
education, experience or licensure through a process called Selective Certification. If you qualify for
Selective Certification, you may be given preferred consideration for positions requiring this education,
experience or licensure through a process called Selective Certification. If you qualify for Selective
Certification, you may be given preferred consideration for positions requiring this education, experience
or licensure. If you have qualifying education, experience or licensure, as listed below, follow the
instructions given to you during the education and experience exam to indicate your interest in such
selective certification(s). Your education, experience and/or licensure will be verified by MTA New York
City Transit at the time of consideration for appointment.
1. Selective Certification for Experience in the field of Mass Public Transportation (MAT): You
must meet the condition in 'A" below.
A. Experience: After meeting the experience requirements in the "How to Qualify" section
above, you must possess a minimum of 6 months of operating experience in the field of
mass public transportation.
The above Selective Certification requirements may be met at anytime during the duration of the
list. If you meet this requirement at some future date, please submit a request by contacting DCAS via
the following link: nyc.gov/CivilServiceNowNYC using the "Selective Certification" subject. Please
include the examination title and number, your full name, OASys Profile ID number, and the selective
certification(s) you are requesting in your submission.
THE TEST:
You will be given a competitive education and experience exam. A score of at least 70% is required to
pass the competitive education and experience exam. Your score on this competitive education and
experience exam will be used to determine 100% of your final score and your place on an eligible list.
On the competitive education and experience exam, you will receive a score of 70 points for meeting the
qualification requirements listed in the "How to Qualify" section. After these requirements are met, you
will receive additional credit up to a maximum of 100 points on the following basis:
If you have additional satisfactory full-time experience in: railroad
power-operated signal engineering work; or in signal maintenance,
circuit designing, manufacturing, or installation supervision for: You will receive up to:
At least 6 months but less than 1 year 3 points
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At least 1 year but less than 1 year and 6 months 6 points
At least 1 year and 6 months but less than 2 years 9 points
At least 2 years but less than 2 years and 6 months 12 points
At least 2 years and 6 months but less than 3 years 15 points
At least 3 years but less than 3 years and 6 months 18 points
At least 3 years and 6 months but less than 4 years 21 points
At least 4 years but less than 4 years and 6 months 24 points
At least 4 year and 6 months but less than 5 years 27 points
5 or more years 30 points
Experience used to meet the minimum requirements cannot be used to gain additional credit.
Experience used to gain additional credit must be obtained by the last day of the
Application Period (September 28, 2026).
Veterans’ or Disabled Veterans’ Credit will be granted only to eligible passing candidates who request
that they be applied. Veterans’ or Disabled Veterans’ Credit should be requested at the time of
application but must be requested before the date the eligible list is established. Claims for Veterans’ or
Disabled Veterans’ Credit cannot be made once the eligible list is established.
HOW TO APPLY:
If you believe you meet the requirements in the "How to Qualify" section, apply using the Online
Application System (OASys) at https://a856-mtaexams.nyc.gov/OASysWeb/home. Follow the onscreen
application instructions for electronically submitting your application, payment, and completing any
required information. A unique and valid email address is required to apply online. Several internet
service providers, including but not limited to Google, Yahoo!, AOL, Outlook.com, and Mail.com offer free
email addresses. All new OASys accounts require verification before a candidate can apply to
ensure the accuracy of candidate information. Verification is instantaneous for most accounts
and you will receive a confirmation email with instructions to activate your account. For any
account creation issues, you will receive onscreen prompts to contact the Examinations Unit.
This review may require approximately five (5) business days to be reviewed and resolved.
Please keep this information and the application period deadline in mind when creating your
account.
The following methods of payment are acceptable: major credit card, bank card associated with a bank
account, or a prepaid debit card with a credit card logo which you may purchase online or at various
retail outlets. If you are receiving or participating in certain forms of public assistance/benefits/programs,
or are a veteran, you may qualify to have the application fee waived.
If you are requesting a fee waiver, you must, by October 13, 2026, submit documentation supporting
your fee waiver request by mail to Associate Railroad Signal Specialist, Exam No. 7607, MTA New York
City Transit, 149 Pierrepont Street, Brooklyn, NY 11201, Attn: Exam Administration, 3rd Floor, Room
3.600. You must include your full name, last 4 digits of your Social Security Number (SSN), your
Applicant ID Number (if known), your online application confirmation number, and the exam title and
number with your request. For fee waiver request documentation requirements, please refer to the Fee
Waiver Request Guide, which is accessible online at http://web.mta.info/nyct/hr/forms_instructions.htm
and will be attached to this Notice of Examination during the application period.
You must complete the entire application by midnight, Eastern Time, of the last day of the application
period. If you have questions about applying for this examination, you may contact the Examinations
Unit at [email protected].
Application for Examination: Follow the online instructions, including those relating to the payment of
fee.
IMPORTANT: Your application submission confirms that you have read this Notice of Examination,
including any dates and the requirements.
Application Fee: This fee is generally not refundable. Under special circumstances, you may be entitled
to a refund. Please refer to the Department of Citywide Administrative Services (“DCAS”) General Exam
Regulation E.3.4 to determine if you are entitled to a refund. Please visit
http://web.mta.info/nyct/hr/forms_instructions.htm to access the DCAS General Exam Regulations
online. Application fee refund requests, along with any relevant supporting documentation, should be
emailed to [email protected] or mailed to the address in the “Correspondence” section below.
CORRESPONDENCE:
Change of Contact Information: It is critical that you keep your contact information (i.e., telephone
number, mailing address and email address) current with your employer. You may miss important
information about your exam(s) or consideration for appointment or promotion, including important
information that may require a response from you by a specified deadline, if we do not have your correct
contact information. To update your contact information, follow the applicable instructions below:
Current employees must:
• Visit the employee portal at www.mymta.info to update your contact information through the “BSC”
and
• Update this information on your Profile page in OASys by logging into your OASys account and
navigating to your Dashboard, then your Profile tab at https://a856-
mtaexams.nyc.gov/OASysWeb/home
External candidates must:
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• Update this information on your Profile page in OASys by logging into your OASys account and
navigating to your Dashboard, then your Profile tab at https://a856-
mtaexams.nyc.gov/OASysWeb/home
Personal Information Update: If there are changes to your name and/or social security number you
must use the Correction Form and follow all instructions for changing your name and/or social security
number with the Examinations Unit. The following link will provide you with the MTA Correction
Form: https://www.mta.info/document/170711.
All other correspondence should be sent to [email protected] and must include “Associate Railroad
Signal Specialist, Exam No. 7607” in the Subject. Alternatively, you can mail your correspondence to the
following address:
Associate Railroad Signal Specialist, Exam No. 7607
MTA New York City Transit
149 Pierrepont Street
Brooklyn, NY 11201
Attn: Exam Administration, 3rd Floor, Room 3.600
THE TEST RESULTS:
If you pass the competitive education and experience exam, your name will be placed in final score
order on an eligible list and you will be given a list number. You will be notified by email of your results. If
you meet all requirements and conditions, you will be considered for appointment when your name is
reached on the eligible list.
If you believe that your test results were rated incorrectly, you may submit an appeal of your score to the
Examinations Unit through OASys. Your appeal must give specific reasons why your score should be
higher. Your appeal may result in a higher or lower rating.
To access the appeal portal of OASys, please log into your OASys account at https://a856-
mtaexams.nyc.gov/OASysWeb/home and use the following steps:
1. Navigate to the Dashboard for the Appeals tab
2. Click the NEW APPEAL button to create and submit your appeal
3. Select the exam from the Exam drop-down list, and
4. Select the exam part from the Exam Part drop-down list
5. Select the reason for your appeal from the Appeal Reason drop-down list (if applicable)
6. Enter the details of your appeal by providing specific reasons why your score should be higher
REQUIREMENTS TO BE APPOINTED:
Driver License Requirement: At the time of appointment, you must have a Motor Vehicle Driver
License valid in the State of New York with no disqualifying restrictions that would preclude the
performance of the duties of this title. If you have serious moving violations, a license suspension or an
accident record you may be disqualified. This license must be maintained for the duration of your
employment in the title.
Drug Screening Requirement: You must pass a drug screening in order to be appointed, and if
appointed, you will be subject to random drug and alcohol tests for the duration of your employment.
Additionally, if you have tested positive on a drug or alcohol test or had a refusal to test during pre-
employment or while employed by a Federal DOT-regulated employer during the applicable period, you
must have completed the Substance Abuse Professional (SAP) evaluation, referral and
education/treatment process required by federal law in order to be appointed to this safety-sensitive
position.
Residency: New York City residency is not required for this position.
English Requirement: You must be able to understand and be understood in English to perform the
duties and responsibilities of the position.
Proof of Identity: Under the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986, you must be able to prove
your identity and your right to obtain employment in the United States prior to employment with any MTA
agency.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
Training: You may be required to undergo a formalized training course during your probationary period.
Failure to successfully complete the training course may result in termination.
Probationary Period: You will be required to complete a probationary period. If you do not successfully
complete the probationary period, you may be terminated.
Promotion Examination: A promotion examination for this title is being held for eligible New York City
Transit employees. The names appearing on the promotion list will be considered first in filling
vacancies.
Application Receipt: You will be emailed a receipt immediately after you have applied for the
examination. If you do not receive this receipt, check the "Junk", "Trash", or "Spam" folders for the
primary email linked to your OASys account. If you are unable to locate the email, you can view a
summary of the notification email by clicking the Notifications tab on your OASys dashboard. If you are
still unable to locate the email, please email the Examinations Unit via the Contact feature available in
OASys with a description of the issue, and include the exam number and your profile number located on
your OASys Profile page. While on your Profile page, check that the email addresses you provided are
correct and/or updated.
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PENALTY FOR MISREPRESENTATION:
Any intentional misrepresentation on the application or examination may result in disqualification, even
after appointment, and may result in criminal prosecution.
Exam No. 7607 - Page 5
The General Examination Regulations of the Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS) apply to this examination and are part of this
Notice of Examination, and they are accessible through our website at http://web.mta.info/nyct/hr/forms_instructions.htm
MTA New York City Transit is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
Title Code Nos. 91755 (Associate Railroad Signal Specialist) and 91756 (Associate Railroad Signal Specialist (Operations));
The Rapid Transit Railroad Service; Group II - Per Annum Positions
Application Period Opened: 9/1/2026

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